11 replies to this topic

[bcgirl45]

My motivation for posting this here is to SHARE KNOWLEDGE between boards to continue helping people. I have sent members from benzo boards here when they are ready to taper their cymbalta if they were put on it. An AD is usually addressed AFTER a benzo has been eliminated.

Hi, I was put on cymbalta for panic attacks. I had already been using klonopin for insomnia and started getting panic for the first time in my life. The panic attacks were actually caused by reaching tolerance on a benzodiazipine. And I was having interdose withdrawals. The MD never recognized it. Added an AD, cymbalta, suggesting somehow in my life I'd started to manifest panic attacks. It was the benzodiazipine. Once I realized the benzo was the problem, I quick tapered cymbalta and have benzodiazipine syndrome. I have been off of the benzo one year and am med free 11 months which includes eliminating cymbalta as well.

I am an accidental or involuntary addict from taking a benzodiazipine (klonopin)AKA-(clonazepam, rivitol), as prescribed. I was not told it was addictive. (Many other names benzos come under.)

Benzodiazipine withdrawal syndrome is real, it's long, it's very physically painful. I am at 1 year off of a benzo in protracted withdrawal from taking a benzodiazipine as prescribed. It is called INVOLUNTARY ADDICTION.

Most people DO NOT KNOW THEY ARE ADDICTED UNTIL THEY TRY TO QUIT. THAT AND THE FACT THE DOCTOR DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THE TIMELINE FOR ADDICTION AND KEEPS PRESCRIBING IS WHY IT IS CALLED INVOLUNTARY, ACCIDENTAL, OR VICTOM OF TRANQUILIZER ADDICTION.THE WITHDRAWALS CAN TAKE UP TO A WEEK TO KICK IN. AND PEAK AT 3 MONTHS. AND CONTINUE FOR 6 TO 18 MONTHS.

This is much more serious than withdrawing from an anti-depressant. I am not minimizing what you are all going through, I just want to educate people on the severity of this withdrawal, the length, and give you links as I see more and more people trusting their doctors and the doctors saying things like, temazepam is safer take it. Klonopin is safer take it. Ativan is safer take it. NOT TRUE. And, I see MANY PEOPLE ON THIS SITE asking if maybe they should take a benzodiazipine to help with the cymbalta taper. This will take years from you. Many people get addicted to a benzo in 4 weeks, and have to taper for months, maybe a year. A MUCH MORE PHYSICALLY INTENSE WITHDRAWAL THAN AN AD LIKE CYMBALTA. HARD TO IMAGINGE AS I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE STRUGGLING. BUT TRUE. Very serious.

I am a member of a support site called benzowithdrawal.com and help with people who were misinformed by the medical community and it is a very addictive drug, with a longer withdrawal than heroin or alcohol because of the way it changes the brain, and damages the central nervous system when prescribed long term and the medical community downplays it.

And to reiterate, people don't know they're addicted until they quit. Without suppport, or with the wrong protocol, from the medical community. THEY ARE TOLD THE WITHDRAWAL ISN'T HAPPENING.

A benzodiazipine withdrawal has NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING OVER BECAUSE THE DRUG IS OUT OF THE SYSTEM. IT IS A LENGTHY WITHDRAWAL BECAUSE IT HAS TOTALLY CHANGED THE GABA RECEPTORS IN THE BRAIN AND IT TAKES 6 MONTHS TO 18 MONTHS TO CHANGE BACK. PROTRACTED WITHDRAWAL IS BECAUSE OF THE TEMPORARY NEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE THAT TAKES A VERY LONG TIME TO HEAL.

A neurologist named Heather Ashton wrote this manuel to help doctors understand they can't prescribe it past 4 weeks, and unfortunately they do not legally have to follow protocol, thus, addicting many people unwittingly because of their own ignorance. THERE ARE MANY BENZO WITHDRAWAL SITES TO EDUCATED YOURSELF FURTHER TO SEE HOW REAL AND LONG THE PROCESS IS. GET EDUCATED BEFORE YOU LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR. THEY DON'T KNOW THE TRUTH TO TELL YOU AND THEY DO NOT HAVE TO STUDY IT OR PRACTICE PROTOCOL.

There was a lawsuit in the UK and 14,000 patients were involved but not enough money to sue the pharmeceutical companies so it was thrown out and now swept under the carpet.

The Ashton Manuel was written by the neurologist Heather Ashton to help doctors and educate them and they are not following protocol. 80% of the people are INVOLUNTARY ADDICTS. NOT DRUG ADDICTS USING FOR RECREATION. ADDICTED BY THE DOCTORS FROM THEIR IGNORANCE.

Healing to all.

PLEASE DO NOT TAKE A BENZODIAZIPINE TO TAPER CYMBALTA. THIS IS A VERY LONG PHYSICALLY PAINFUL PROCESS WHILE THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND BRAIN HEALS. NOT LIKE AN ANTI-DEPRESSANT.

WE HAVE MANY MEMBERS THAT HAVE TAPERED ANTI-DEPRESSANTS AND WILL ATTEST TO THE FACT "BENZODIAZIPINE WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME" IS REAL, AND IS NOTHING LIKE TAPERING AN ANTI-DEPRESSANT AS A BENZO IS ONE OF THE ONLY DRUGS THAT CHANGES THIS PART OF YOUR BRAIN THAT SEDATES. THE GABA. AND ONCE THE GABA HAS CHANGED, THE SEDATION IS OFF, AND THE INJURED CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM TAKES A VERY LONG TIME TO RECOVER.

Please get educated and heed this warning as this is a very real epidemic from improper prescribing which is legal and the truth has been swept under the carpet.

[ladybugz]

I've taken 1mg twice this week now to deal with insomnia that occured after too high a dose of Cymbalta triggered a manic episode (I was not able to sleep for 5 days). Is it possilbe to have become addicted after these uses (I do not plan on using it ever again by the way)?

[fishinghat]

bcgirl45, I agree with all you said. I hate benzos. After my withdrawal in Feb I was left with 24/7 fear and crying. Unluckily after trying 5 different meds only lorazepam (a benzo) had an impact. Luckily my doctor kept me on only a very minimal dose until a medicine was finally found that did the trick. Now in a few days I will beginning tapering off the lorazepam. BUT  most doctors get very carried away with lorazepam, xanax, clonazepam and other benzos. For example the manufacurer says that as low as 1 mg of lorazepam for more than 6 days can cause dependance. WOW. Coming off of them can be pure hell. Sorry to rattle but just wanted to chip in my thoughts. By the way the use of hydroxyzine is very effective in reducing benzo withdrawal. It treats the anxiety withdrawal symptoms generated by the benzo withdrawal. When you are off the benzos you can simply stop the hydroyzine with NO withdrawal effects. It doe make you sleepy.

 

Ladybugz, if you let me know what benzo it was I will see what the research says. Most require more use than that.

[ladybugz]

Temazepam was the one I used. I was just curious if my very low tolerance (even before my withdrawals from Cymbalta) could lead to a quicker dependency on drugs such as this?

[fishinghat]

This is a very short term use benzo. The manufacturer says the body buids tolerance quickly and the medicine usually loses its sleep inducing properties in 3 to 14 days. Most of the sites said not to be on this drug for more than 14 days. The longer the use over 14 days and the greater the dosage the sooner the person will be addicted. I read a few forums dealing with people who took temazepam. Some claimed that they had withdrawal symptoms after as little as 3 days use while most said after 9 to 14 days and trying to stop they had withdrawal. They were all using 7.5 to 15 mg just before going to bed. I hope this helps some but I sure would not recommend being on it for too long.

[lady2882Nancy]

Oh aren't I just so lucky. Temazepam is the drug my doctor gave me for sleep when I fell apart and had a panic attack in his office, but not such a nice low dose.

He gave me a rx for 20 x 30mg pills which I used over 21 days (I skipped one night). Then the Moron gave me another rx for it this time for 30 days at the same strength 30mg.

I started waking up earlier than I should after using it for 30 days and started dealing with morning depression. I realized that I was developing a tolerance to it and found out Temazepam can cause depression. So I looked in to what I needed to do to get off it online and then called my pharmacist. I managed to ween myself off it by taking some of the powder out of the capsules (yes I know you aren't supposed to do this but I wanted off). Then I started taking it every 2nd day which was horrid yes but not as bad as Crapalta withdrawals.

I have never had problems getting off Lorazepam so I alternated the two for a week. I have not taken any Temazepam for a week now but I am taking 1/2 a mg of Lorazepam which seems to keep the Temazepam withdrawals to a minimum. I will deal with the Lorazepam later and who knows what the Psychiatrist will suggest that I will see on Tuesday.

Is it any wonder that I no longer trust this Moron who is my supposed to be my Primary Care Doctor?

 

I will survive and I will thrive again. I am too stubborn (or very persistant as my Dad would say lol) to give up.

[fishinghat]

Twenty 30 mg pills. What a jerk. He just doesn't care. You did right though Nancy and I am glad you are off the Temazepam. Are they trying to make you better or worse. ALL the manufactrers say that this drug should only be used for 14 days or less because of dependence and tolerance issues so what does the jerk do...he gives you enough total for 50 days at twice the recommended dose for insomnia. Poor Nancy.

Your story throughout all this is like an afternoon soap opera. You never know what will happen next! Sure got to read ALL about those meds before taking them. You just never know what little suprises you will find!! lol

[lady2882Nancy]

At the point I was when I got the temazepam all I cared about was getting some sleep as I was only sleeping about 4 hours a night and that was broken up.

I really should have looked into it better though as I really could have screwed myself up. 30mg was a crazy dose to be using.

Yes I really don't think that he cares enough about his patients and heaven help you if you question him about what he thinks. I grew up with all our doctors being friends of the family and am not used to not being allowed to make suggestions about my own treatment or being laughed at when I say how a med made me feel.

I have heard that he may be retiring within the year and that we may have two young doctors taking over his practise. I really hope that this is true as then I wouldn't have to go so far to find a new doctor. I know that I will have to deal with whatever he wrote about me in my file but I can do that. If I need a doctor til then I will have quite a drive but that's ok but hoping this Psychiatrist will take over my meds so that she tells him what I should be on.

[ladybugz]

I'm so sorry Nancy   So many of us here have been hurt by doctors that could care less if their patients become drug addicted zombies. I can certainly relate to your reason for taking it in the first place. When you don't sleep your already comprimised nervous system goes even more wonky. You get desperate for anything that will put an end to the torture. This is also the reason many of us stated Cymbalta (or other antidepressants) in the first place. We want to believe that these "professionals" know what they are doing and will use their best judgement. No one but you can know what's best for your body (most of the time, anyway). I'm learning this the hard way.

[chimera]

Oh aren't I just so lucky. Temazepam is the drug my doctor gave me for sleep when I fell apart and had a panic attack in his office, but not such a nice low dose.

He gave me a rx for 20 x 30mg pills which I used over 21 days (I skipped one night). Then the Moron gave me another rx for it this time for 30 days at the same strength 30mg.

I started waking up earlier than I should after using it for 30 days and started dealing with morning depression. I realized that I was developing a tolerance to it and found out Temazepam can cause depression. So I looked in to what I needed to do to get off it online and then called my pharmacist. I managed to ween myself off it by taking some of the powder out of the capsules (yes I know you aren't supposed to do this but I wanted off). Then I started taking it every 2nd day which was horrid yes but not as bad as Crapalta withdrawals.

I have never had problems getting off Lorazepam so I alternated the two for a week. I have not taken any Temazepam for a week now but I am taking 1/2 a mg of Lorazepam which seems to keep the Temazepam withdrawals to a minimum. I will deal with the Lorazepam later and who knows what the Psychiatrist will suggest that I will see on Tuesday.

Is it any wonder that I no longer trust this Moron who is my supposed to be my Primary Care Doctor?

 

I will survive and I will thrive again. I am too stubborn (or very persistant as my Dad would say lol) to give up.

oh Nancy:( what an absolute moron that doctor is- like you haven't been through enough! 

[lady2882Nancy]

Thanks Chimera

 

You would think that I would have realized that he just wants me out of his office when he said to me when I was having a panic attack "Well if you had stayed on the Cymbalta you would be fine right now."

Crapalta made me depressed and suicidal so how the heck would I be fine if I had kept taking it?

 

If things don't go well with the Psychiatrist then we are going to try to scrape together enough money for me to see a Naturopathic Doctor. They seem to understand how bad these meds can be for people.

[chimera]

he just gets better and better doesn't he

good back up plan if the psychiatrist doesn't work. or maybe Fishinghat's doctors might be worth a try, they sound pretty good!